I am going to University in a month and am reluctant to get a job because I would really like to focus on my study! However, on top of loans, savings and what parents are going to help me out with I would really like some extra cash for shopping etc!

So...I thought maybe I could set up my own little online store selling 'one-off' items that I either make, or find at car boot sales & charity shops...I was just wondering if anybody has done this and how much work it was/how successful it was.

I am really interested in giving it a go and bet it would actually be really fun taking the photos and getting friends to model and stuff...but just wanted to know your opinions on it first or any tips you could give?: ]

i'm starting one too but i've been getting a little lazy and i still need to work on some css =\ i think how successful it is really depends on advertising ~ like facebook or something i just tell people to tell other people :)

oh, and i use fatcow.com ~ they're probably the cheapest hosting site and they have shopping carts you could use for your shop hopes this helps

Thanks for the site, though i'm going to have to find an English site to host on...I was also thinking of using Ebay and having an ebay shop cos I think that would be easier and also advertising would be a bit easier as you could advertise on your own, on top of having people just generally browsing on ebay:) Thanksss

My mum used to make and sell like kitcsh jewellery on eBay and she did really well. Around christmas time was the best. At first, she didn't have a shop and she did well, but when she bought a shop she only sold about 3 things one week, so she went back to having just a normal account. But, that was back when the shops always showed up at the bottom of the search.

Oh, and sell river island bags! My mum does and people go mad for them! Well, the ones that have sold out aha. You can sometimes get them cheap from ebay or carboot sales if you're always looking and then you can sell them on again :} Uhm, she also sells other things that she gets off the carboot, like irregular choice shoes, karen millen shoes, doc martens and any other things that she thinks will sell. Basically anything she can get for cheap and know that she will make a profit on. When your at carboots and charity shops just have a look for anything with a brand name or like topshop and stuff, then have a look on ebay to see how much people are selling thm for. Just have a look on ebay for things that are popular and try and look for them :}

Oh, sought after sold out primark stuff is quite good. I once sold a dress that had sold out for 23 pounds, and it only cost me about a tenner :}

I agree with Eva about he layout and good explanation. If you're planning on making your own stuff I think you'll do well too. I'd say just advertise on facebook myspace and bebo and spread the word :}

Thanks everyone...it seems to be a thumbs up then:D I'm going to settle in at uni then start looking around in Charity shops there and finding out when carboots and stuff are: ]...I use ebay a lot anyway to sell my old clothes or things my Mum has given me to sell so I've already got an account with like 125 positive feedback so atleast I wont be starting from scratch!:) It would be awesome if I could make a decent profit making it worth my time cos then I can pretty much 'work from home' and make it fun taking all the photos and stuff rather than wasting hours of my life working at a supermarket like I have been for the past couple of years! I can't wait to start University!!:)